Some cardiac imaging procedures produce a clip comprising a sequence of image frames that shows the dynamic activity of the heart. Heart imaging procedures include, for example, fluoroscopic and ultrasound imaging procedures. In some cases, it is desirable to synchronize between different imaging clips. Various techniques to synchronize between separate measurements of the heart are known in the art.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,477,928, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method for associating ECG waveform data with computed tomography image data using a data synchronization scheme. The method includes generating the ECG waveform data using an electrocardiogram device, operating a computed tomography imaging system so as to create the computed tomography image data, communicating an exposure marker signal to the electrocardiogram device such that the exposure marker signal is associated with the EKG waveform data. The method further includes processing the computed tomography image data, the ECG waveform data and the exposure marker signal, so as to correlate the ECG waveform data with the computed tomography image data.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,583,101, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method and an apparatus for synchronizing heartbeat behavior. The method includes acquiring a period list and a time list, acquiring a period length of the heartbeat behavior according to the period list, and synchronization time according to the time list, a heartbeat period, and a preset multiplier. The method further includes synchronizing at least one type of heartbeat behavior by using the period length of the heartbeat behavior as a period from the synchronization time.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,310, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes the processing of data that is obtained from synchronized electrocardiogram tomoscintigraphy, said data being correlated to image giving the activity of the heart, which comprises auricles, ventricles, valves and septum. The image comprises at least first and second portions. The first portion consists of the pixels showing the auricles and ventricles during the cardiac cycle, wherein each cycle comprises successive time bins with an end-of-systole time, and end-of-diastole time. The second portion consists of pixels that are substantially not involved with the cardiac activity.